To Feel Alive
by reunited
Summary: On Pikachu's insistence, Satoshi calls up Takeshi, on a long needed conversation with his old companion. [Part 2 of Dying and Living Series]


Satoshi waved goodbye to Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet. As they went their own ways to work. As for him, he had to stay home from school to rest up. But he couldn't help but feel restless. His Pokemon watched his every move, while Pikachu sat in his lap. _He felt like he couldn't do anything whatsoever._

So he began to think back about the past. Of how he started so long ago, as a ten years old. Dragging a Pikachu who didn't care about him to meeting his companions who'd join him on his journey. Takeshi, Kasumi and Kenji... It's been so long since he thought about them. The last time he saw them, was during that field trip back to Kanto.

Right now, he missed them a lot.

Takeshi and his yummy food, his great advice, his big brother-presence. Kasumi and her pride, her often chiding him, and ever going often arguments. Kenji and his passion to draw, and wanting to learn about Pokemon.

 _Darn, he missed them so much._

But the three of them were busy people. Takeshi studying to be a Pokemon Doctor, Kasumi taking take care of the Cerulean City Gym. Kenji working as the Professor Ookido's assistant.

There was someone else he had thought about and that being Shigeru, who was busy doing his own thing...

And here he was at Alola, doing his own thing as well... while also... pondering whether his death that he felt was real or not. He sighed, and Pikachu looked up at him with a worried look. " _Pika, pika...?_ " Without thinking, the boy murmured, "I miss Takeshi, Kasumi, Kenji and even Shigeru, Pikachu."

Pikachu nodded climbing onto his shoulder and pointed to the television. He blinked, noting that sometimes Pikachu did some weird things. He got up from where he was sitting, and his three other Pokemon noticed and followed him. He walked to the couch and Pikachu started to keep pointing a the television and chattering.

"Do you want to watch television Pikachu?" He asked, dumbfounded, but his friend shook his head in protest. Pikachu pointed again, soon pointing the phone system. The boy could only blink as Pikachu pointed at him, and then mimicked a familiar person. _Takeshi._

"You want me to call _T-Takeshi?!_ " He exclaimed in some kind of surprise, startling his other Pokemon who looked around. Rowlet fell over, while Torracat began to become a bit jumpy, while Lycanroc stared ahead at him. He frowned, "I don't want to bother him, Pikachu." but Pikachu was stubborn as he fold his arms, and began to chatter, " _Pika-chu, Pika-chu, Pika-chu!_ "

The unending stare made Satoshi sigh. "Right, right, stop looking at me like that, Pikachu! _I'll call, I'll call!_ "

He started pressing the numbers to Takeshi's number. He remembered in his head, it was always in his head, after Takeshi pressed down a paper with his number in his hand.

" _In case if you needed anything, or want to talk, call this number._ " The older boy had told him.

He sighed, as he waited to ring on the other side. The boy decided to hang up.

In Pewter City, Kanto a familiar and old friend of Satoshi was busy at studying. when the video phone started to ring.

The boy looked confused and went up from studying to pick it up, only for the caller to hang up. Takeshi looked confused, as he looked at the callers list. With more evident surprise as he found out it was Satoshi.

' _Satoshi?_ ' He couldn't help but wonder why his long time friend would be calling him now of all time. And too think he hung up on him as well...

If that didn't mean anything, but it sure did mean something if Satoshi of all people to hang up on him. He called him back, looking back at his studies and looked back at the black screen.

When Satoshi hung up, he didn't expect for Takeshi to call him back, and have a rather annoyed expression on his face. " _ **EXCUSE ME DID YOU HANG UP ON ME, SATOSHI!?**_ " His loud voice seemed to reverberate around the room. Making Satoshi surprised and fall back onto the couch. " _A-a-ah_ , Takeshi you didn't need to react like that..."

"I'm reacting like that, since when did you call me to only hang up on me, huh?" His voice softened, as he saw Pikachu looking straight at him. "Did something happen? Or did you want to talk about something, Satoshi?"

"Nothing... nothing at all, Takeshi! Pikachu kept bugging me to call you and all..."

"As if there's nothing at all, Satoshi. You know you're a terrible liar. I've been with you through three regions, so tell me." He sighed. "It doesn't have to do with anything that's bothering you or anything. It can be anything like how have you been and what not."

"Oh um... Litten evolved into Torracat a while ago!" The boy began chattering little by little to Takeshi over the video call. Feeling free of his burdens in a long while. Then he stopped talking, this was when Takeshi noticed.

How worn out he looked, and bags under his eyes.

Satoshi's voice seemed smaller as he spoke up again. "Takeshi. Do you... ever think about the times... well... _whenever I almost ... died?_ "

The older boy flinched for a moment. Of course Takeshi thought about the times his friend almost died. He remember watching the television screen. About how Satoshi was out there trying to fulfill a task of saving the world, and the many times the boy got injured.

"Of course I do. _Why?_ " Takeshi looked at Satoshi's face again, and the boy seemed so unsure of what to say.

Again, he decided to ask, "Did something happen Satoshi?" This time with much more seriousness, and the boy looked away again, and then he looked back nodding.

"I...well." It seemed like he had a hard time talking about it, but Pikachu jumped into his lap, snuggling himself in it. As if to comfort him. Satoshi began running his hand into their fur, murmuring. " _I d-died._ For real this time."

Takeshi couldn't help but choke on air, coughing it out in some shock. He looked back at his old friend's face which seemed solemn if anything. "But you're here talking to me. It's not that I don't trust you, but Satoshi... _are you telling me that you died?_ "

"Yeah... I died for real. With my Pokemon... and I was in the afterlife. I met... some people. It was... decent for a while, but then, I realized... if I were to be dead, I wouldn't..."

"You wouldn't _reach your dream_ to become Pokemon Master, right?"

The boy nodded, "Then... the afterlife I was in with many others, kicked me out. I don't know what else to say Takeshi, but I know... for real I died, but I woke up in my bed. Alive... as I ever could be."

Takeshi stayed quiet, letting his friend continue. "It felt like... nothing happened. Like it was.. um..."

"Retconned?"

"Yeah... exactly. Like my death...never happened at all. But it was real, and I felt it... and I... don't know _how to feel alive_ , Takeshi."

That line stunned Takeshi, as he turned quiet. He remembered seeing Satoshi in so long on his field trip back to Kanto. With his friends and the Professor Kukui and Principal Ookido. How he looked like he was having fun, no matter what he was doing.

But right now, his friend in front of him on the other side of the world didn't look the same as before. He looked exhausted, and scared. He didn't know what it was like to feel alive again. And that concerned Takeshi.

" _I trust you, Satoshi_." He replied. He trusted him, and knew he wasn't lying and he was being real as he could be. "Did you talk about this to Professor Kukui, yet?"

Satoshi looked away, ashamed, and he understood why. He didn't want to scare or worry him.

He sighed deciding to go onto another topic. "Are you doing okay when you sleep, Satoshi?"

"Eh? What do you mean by that, Takeshi..."

"You know what I mean. Your nightmares that keeps you up at night."

"Ah... Professor Kukui talks to me about that and we sometimes talk about my nightmares and we drink hot cocoa.. It helps."

"I'm glad. If that's the case, and all." Takeshi looked at his calendar in interest, and an idea came up. "Sorry to end this conversation short, Satoshi, but I have stuff to do. Feel free to call me anytime though."

The boy nodded smiling. "Thanks for giving me the time to talk to you, Takeshi."

The two of them hung up. Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet came home. Satoshi began talking to them about his day, talking about calling up Takeshi. He remembered about his friend's question about talking about to the professor. But he decided it was best for another time.

Back in Kanto, Takeshi had some ideas in mind, such as ringing up some of Satoshi's old friends in Kanto. Also a vacation to see a certain someone in Alola.

"Hmm. Now, this will be a surprise for him for sure..."


End file.
